


No, come back!

by Vanfell



Series: Fictober 2020 [1]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Angst, Character Development, Character Study, Family, Fictober 2020, Gen, Hades Is An Idiot Father, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:14:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26757826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanfell/pseuds/Vanfell
Summary: A small Hades piece to celebrate the game's full release! Also a piece for the first prompt of Fictober 2020The Prompt in Question: “no, come back!”
Relationships: Hades & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Hades/Persephone (Hades Video Game)
Series: Fictober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949335
Kudos: 96





	No, come back!

“Boy. Do not leave this house. Do not attempt to- No, come back!” Hades had lost track of how many times that statement had left his lips. He had not lost track of how many times it had failed to convince his son to turn back. Every single attempt to dissuade Zagreus from his ill-conceived plan to escape the Underworld, to battle through Hell itself, all to see… her. For a few fleeting moments the boy was able to see his mother. For what? There was no escape. Hades knew this. Zagreus knew this. The irrefutable law of the land, the binding testament. In the House of Hades, escape was impossible. 

Yet, it seemed that testament was irrelevant to Zagreus. No matter how he gurned, no matter how he pleaded, no matter what Hades said to the boy, it swayed him not. There was his son. A constant reminder of the folly of youth. Burning up with indignation at the Fates, refusing to accept that certain things were set in stone. Hades knew this. His brothers knew this. All those wretched gods upon the damned mountain knew this. Yet, Zagreus seemed to know it not. Every time he fell, he’d push back on. Being torn apart by Megaera would have broken lesser men. To be crushed by the Bone Hydra was to have one’s spirit shattered. Theseus and the Minotaur, a duo strong enough to give Achilles pause. At the end of all that, Hades himself. A towering stalwart, spear at the ready, tired resignation. His own son impaled upon the end of the spear. And even as Zagreus’s very blood splattered on his face, he knew what would happen. The dying declaration, gasping like a fish, that he would push on again. Only followed by the pleading whisper.

“No, come back!”

It never worked. Hades knew he only had himself to blame. His own actions had forced the boy away from him at an early age. What else was he supposed to do, however? Pushing forward had far too many risks. If Persephone was found, if the Olympians ever fully figured out what had happened, or if they released the deception that had been wrought upon them… Everything would be lost. It wasn’t cowardice that kept Hades trapped, no. At least that is what the god told himself. It was not cowardice that lost him his son, that saw their relationship become naught more than tired sniping at each other. Violent arguments that shook the foundation of their house, that went on for days, nights, an eternity within itself. It was not cowardice that forced him to retreat from consoling his son. A lingering hand at a door after an argument. That gnawing thought that perhaps he was wrong. It was a necessity. Things had to be kept as they were. Why could the damned brat not understand that much? Why could he not follow that simple phrase? 

“No, come back!”

Slowly, but surely, it became clear that Zagreus was going to succeed. There was to be no happy ending for the God of the Dead, for Hades. His own son was surpassing him. Soon he would reach his mother, and from there the ending was already penned. A war to scorch the land, a war to destroy everything held dear. Perhaps it was better to fight than to hide. No. The very thought could not be sustained. If held to be true, then Hades had failed. Everything done to keep the boy down in The Underworld. To keep his mother… his mother.

“No, come back!”

How he had wished he had said that to Persephone as she stormed off. One argument too many. Their son seemingly stillborn. There had been no way to fix that. Fate had decreed it. Nyx had merely bent Fate, not changed it. To change fate was impossible, to fight fate was folly. Watching her leave had been folly. Her tears streaming down her face, her dress fluttering in the still air. Running away from her home, from her husband. Sometimes Hades wished he could run from his failures. Even as he choked upon his own blood, felled by his own son. Even as he watched everything he held dear be held to the torch. It would happen again. First, his wife. Now his son. Then his house. Everything. Wiped away. 

“No, come back!”

It was over. Zagreus had bested him one too many times. Faster and stronger every single time. Perhaps he had always been stronger than him. His son was fighting for a cause. Fighting to bring change and burning with indignation at the cruel hand fate had dealt them all. Watching him emerge from the Temple every single time only brought that crushing weariness further down upon Hades. And thus, he simply waved his son past. There was to be no battle. There was naught that could be done. Perhaps he even muttered something about leaving the Underworld in his temper. How would his son be able to forgive him for everything. Turning to gaze upon the sky, his silence was disturbed. A hand patting at his hip. Zagreus had remained. Perhaps there was some final taunt to be declared. Best if it were headed off. 

“...I need not hear it, boy. You’ve bested me, and thus you have decided you know what’s best. I shall leave the House. Olympus will merely wish to reckon with me. If that is to be my Fates, then so be it. I shall meet them here, at these Doors. Forever more. Go now. You shan’t see me again.” 

A pregnant pause. The silence was deafening as Zagrues simply stood there. Perhaps he was searching for some demeaning phrase, given how pathetic that statement had been from Hades. Typical melodramatic wallowing as he took the burden unto himself. Or perhaps Zagreus was going to agree, to finally be free of his father. There was his trademark smirk. It was time for the emotional coup de grace. 

“No, come back!” 

And thus, the noble ruler of House Hades came to learn a valuable lesson. One could not run from their problems, and one could not bear them all by themselves. It has to be said that there was immense coaxing required, often of the violent sort… and it was not to be an easy path. Indeed, the road to recovery is never simple. But as he watched his son traipse off, into the melting snow beneath his ashen feet… he knew that he had to try. For once in his immortality, Hades made a choice for himself. 

No more running. It was time to come back.


End file.
